about

Corbanwants nothing more than to be a warrior under King Brenin's rule - to protect and serve. But that day will come all too soon. And the price he pays will be in blood.

Evnishas sacrificed - too much it seems. But what he wants - the power to rule -- will soon be in his grasp. And nothing will stop him once he has started on his path.

Veradisis the newest member of the warband for the High Prince, Nathair. He is one of the most skilled swordsman to come out of his homeland, yet he is always under the shadow of his older brother.Nathairhas ideas - and a lot of plans. Many of them don't involve his father, the High King Aquilus. Nor does he agree with his father's idea to summon his fellow kings to council.

The Banished Lands has a violent past where armies of men and giants clashed in battle, but now giants are seen, the stones weep blood and giant wyrms are stirring. Those who can still read the signs see a threat far greater than the ancient wars. For if the Black Sun gains ascendancy, mankind's hopes and dreams will fall to dust...

...and it can never be made whole again.

MALICE is a dark epic fantasy tale of blind greed, ambition, and betrayal.

John Gwynne studied and lectured at Brighton University. He's been in a rock 'n' roll band, playing the double bass, traveled the USA and lived in Canada for a time. He is married with four children and lives in Eastbourne, running a small family business rejuvenating vintage furniture.Maliceis his debut novel.

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Reviews

Rated 4 out of
5 by
shelby from
Slow start but well worth it.I didn't really get into the story until halfway through the book because the beginning is a little slow, but once it picks up the book moves fast! If you like books that have a prophecy you will enjoy this, the characters in this book are very much good or bad, not really any in between except a couple characters that we don't know what side they are on yet. Definitely worth the long read!

Date published: 2018-06-04

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Nicole from
Good book.Good characters, well written. It takes a bit to get going but gets very exciting.

Date published: 2018-02-03

Rated 3 out of
5 by
kayla from
good bookI'm not use to reading a book with so many characters jump back and forth. It took a bit to get use to. But I'm really enjoyed the story, looking forward to the next one!

Date published: 2017-11-09

Rated 5 out of
5 by
RottieGirl from
Great bookWhat an epic read. There was a lot of action. A lot of blood shed. Thoroughly enjoyed

Date published: 2017-10-27

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Dakorax from
Slow going, but good read.The plot at some points was really slow, I felt like putting this book down but really glad i didnt.

Date published: 2017-08-03

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Jason from
Slow start...Great Read!This definitely takes some getting into, I was half way or more through this first installment before it grabbed me. There was a lot of building of characters here, attempted misdirection and may or may not have been needed.
Beyond that...once I was grabbed, I couldn't put this down, I read this 700 page book in a week (and have currently gone Book 2 - Valor, and half way through Book 3 - Ruin). These characters are compelling, well rounded and the story while not altogether new is intriguing and attentive.
Well worth reading this series...and the book covers are awesome.

Date published: 2017-04-28

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Jason from
Slow start...Great Read!This definitely takes some getting into, I was half way or more through this first installment before it grabbed me. There was a lot of building of characters here, attempted misdirection and may or may not have been needed.
Beyond that...once I was grabbed, I couldn't put this down, I read this 700 page book in a week (and have currently gone Book 2 - Valor, and half way through Book 3 - Ruin). These characters are compelling, well rounded and the story while not altogether new is intriguing and attentive.
Well worth reading this series...and the book covers are awesome.

Date published: 2017-04-28

Rated 4 out of
5 by
AmyS from
Long, But Absolutely Worth ReadingI feel I should preface this review by saying that this book is a commitment. I'm a fast reader, but this took me a looooong time to get through. Partly cause of the extensive word count (close to 700 pages here), but also because the plot was pretty slow going in some points. There was a lot of buildup and I think some of it could have been condensed, but it all added to either the characters or the story. And really, that's the only complaint I have. Everything else I loved. The history of the world, the politics, the amazing characters, the intense action scenes, and the explosive finale. While there were some moments when the plot was predictable and some of the characters I wanted to smack upside the head at times (I'm looking at you, Veradis), looking back I recall just how much I enjoyed the story. It's definitely an epic, but the many, MANY characters are fantastic. Corban is a great lead and side characters like Veradis, Cywen, Gar, and many others are terrific. I know who the villains are, but even they were relatable at times. That said, there are lots of characters and at times I had to remember who everyone was and what was going on. But I'm nitpicking. This truly is a great fantasy novel with exciting action and world-building that isn't heavy on the magic side. I'm willing to bet the series will get far more intense as it unfolds, and I can't wait to see where everyone will end up and what will happen next.

Date published: 2016-11-13

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Sara_Morin from
FantasticThe best part is not only the awesome characters or the wicked plot, but also the writing style. No long winded descriptions.

Date published: 2014-06-22

Editorial Reviews

"Warring clans, sleeping giants, Banished Lands and omens and portents ... a strong contender for 'if you like Game of Thrones, why not try this?' award."-Independent